It is that time of year, Bis! The time for us. Accept who you are! Celebrate who you are! And know that there is no right or wrong way to be Bi. The best way is your way.
While I would argue that every single day is the right day to celebrate being Bisexual it has not always been that way….in fact, we (the B) have been silent in the LGBT community for far too long.
When I first came out as Bi I was often told I could not be….yes, that’s right other folks told me who I could be and, of course, they knew better than I did…. I still laugh at that as I did not buy it then and I don’t buy it now. I am grateful I was never confused nor did I allow others to define me. That said, being Bi and living an authentic Bi life is no easy task. It is no easier now than it was when I was a youngun’. Many folks are not 100% sure about their sexuality at a young age, or sometimes even when they are older. It is absolutely understandable given all the Biphobia rampant in both the gay and straight communities.
However, there will be another day to dwell on the problems we face and the challenges remaining for the Bi community. (Spoiler alert: It is my fervent belief we can overcome all of it if we maintain Bi solidarity)
Visibility matters. Representation matters. That is why #BivisibilityWeek matters so much. We need to see and be seen. If you are in a position to be visible make sure you are. Whether you know it or not you are providing a role model of confidence when you are being #BiCertain. When you show the world you are positive and assured of your sexual identity and that it is not defined by your partner or your sexual history you are making it clear that there is a community waiting for someone whenever they feel secure enough to come out. No one should be shoved out of the closet….every person needs to open the closet door and come out when they feel ready. BiVisibility puts so many of the myths to rest. We are just ordinary (and, in my view, also extraordinary lucky) people you already know….
Isolation is a major problem in our Bi community. We often don’t connect with other Bi folks socially. This failure to connect means we often don’t have the political clout we could have if we worked together for our mutual benefit. If you have been waiting for an opportunity…use September 23, 2017 as the day to be yourself, let your inner Bi sparkle and shine for the world to see, be visible for those who are not quite ready, take someone’s hand and be their guide as they walk out of that (very confining) closet.
The Bi-Fi Signal 